Plaster-block-making machine



Get. 9 1923.

G. H. A. RUBY PLASTEH BLOCK MAKING MACHINE Filed Oct. 24 1921 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 xll| lli||||l1 W r g. O. i ll -lx-. T R r N Q m W w 1!! 1.8;!!! iiiiiii is! i h i 1 QM Li/Q R um. 56 g. all I mu] m r V .V\ NW W O KG Aw 4 Q H Q\\ 8.8.8.8.. .i..!.! 5y 2.: G M 7. A m m Q kw W mN m 2 a G. H. A. RUBY PLASTER BLOCK MAKING MACHINE Oct, .9, 1923.

Fil ed Oct. 24

1921 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 Oct. 9 1923. 1,49,g1

' s. H. A. RUBY PLASTER BLOCK MAKING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed 001:. 24 1921 lnuenfor' George HARu b fll-Yomeg Oct. 9, 1923. 1,469,8fl

G. H. A. RUBY PLASTER BLOCK MAKING MACHINE Filed Oct. 24. 1921 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 W #5 1/6 lnuent'or' George EAR b5 gi gg; gfimm,

Oct. 9 1923. I e. H. A. RUBY PLASTER BLOCK MAKING MACHINE Filed Oct. 24. 1921 Sheets-Sheet 6 1/8 I 11a 1/5 1/8 67 68 35 8 67656 5 7 [fl/ 68 67 68 7 b8. Tagi; 24 6 9 682 i 1545,83 8 Sheets-Shef-F Lnuen or .1? m u n R ..O A w UM 2% G Wb B G. H. A. RUBY PLASTBR BLOCK MAKING MACHINE Filed Oct. 24

Oct. 1923.

0a. 9,1923. e. H. A, RUBY PLASTER BLOCK MAKING MACHINE Filed Oct. 24 1921 498 Sheets-Sheet 8 3g. M George H.A.Rub3

Patented Oct. 9, 1923.

um'rsn sures PATENT mr.,,

GEORGE -H. A. RUBY, OF GRAND RAPIDS, hIICHIG-AN, ASSIGNOBTO JAMES RJ OFFIELD, TRUSTEE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

rms'rnn-nnocx-unxme MACHINE." Application filed octan -'24, 1921. Serial in. 509,805.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonon H. A. RUBY, a citizen of the UnitedStates of America, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of 5 Kent and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Plaster-Block-Makin Machines; and I do hereby declare the ollowing to be a. full, clear, and exact description of the invention, 10 such as will enable others skilled inthe art to. which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a machine for the manufacture of building blocks from 15 cementitious material, particularly plaster stucco in which the hardening and setti material is plaster of Paris or calcine gypsum. These blocks as a. matter of practical economy have openings lengthwise therethrough for the saving material and it is necessary to make the blocks rapidly and at as low a cost as possible with said openings therethrough. It isa primary object and purpose of the present invention to make a machine with which the block with the required longitudinal openings therethrough may be readily made and one in which the blocks may be'made in large uantities in relatively short time' and with Fri; the services of few men, whereby the labor cost is reduced to a minimum. Many other objects and" urposes subsidiary to the main purpose of t e invention will also appear as understanding of the invention is had from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in I the front end, two

which,

Fig. 1 is an elevation of the front or stucco receiving end of the machine. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the rear or block delivering end of the machine.

Fig. 3 is a machine.

Fig. 4 is a plan of the rear end portion of the machine.

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section en larged, on the plane of line 5-5, of Fi 2,

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary p an of the core withdrawing mechanismv of. the machine. 7 and 8 are fragmentary elevations showing two fpositions of the core drawing members, the rst as it is in the act of drawing the cores of a block, and the latter as it tion, and th plan of the front end of the is returning to eng with thecores of the next succeeding ble a Fig. 9 is an under plan view of one of the core drawing members.

' Fig. 10 is an enlarged transverse vertical section taken substantially on the plane of 00 line 10-10, of Fig. 2.

Fig. 11 is a lan of the mechanism used for reinserting t e cores.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary enlarged longitudinal section through the rear end portion of the machine.

Fig. 13 is a similar view at an intermediate portion of the machine and showing the aux liary means for driving the same.

7 Flg. 14 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section illustrating the method of holding the conveyor belt against elonga e manner in which the block folh' ns are attache:1 to the belt.

ig. 15 is an e ar ed fr entary lan with arts in sectio and cfihers br eken .away 1llustratingx the connection of the twopart cores and t eir positions in the forms.

F1g.'16 1s a transverse vertical section through the machine, substantially on the plane of line 1616, of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 17 is a perspective view, with parts broken away and in section, illustrating the block made by the machine.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures of thedrawings, and the sections shown are looking in the directions indicated by the arrows associated with the section lines.

In the construction of the machine, at spaced apart posts 1 are used at the upper ends of which are bearmgs 2, a shaft 3 extending between and being rotatably mounted in the bearings. On thisshaft a number of wheels 4 are fixed, the same being formed with spaced apart recesses or notches 5 at the outer edges thereof. At the rear end of the machine a second horizontal shaft 6 is positioned on which similar wheels 7 with recesses 8 in the same are secured. Shaft 6 is carried in bearings 9. 'For the support of the bearings, two posts 10 and 11 one in front of the shaft and the other back thereof, are positioned at each side of the machine, the posts 10 being connected-by a channel 12 which lies between the upper ends of the posts, while posts 11 are simitudmal channels 14 are located between and other portions of the machine.

13, and t e bearings 9 are located directly above and ca'rriedby said channels 14 as 29 connected to them. On the return under thereof, cross channel bars 17 are located slowly driven.

nceaeae larly connected by a channel 14. Longichine and which are used for ckarrying or incarried b the transverse channels 12 and stance, posts 28'and 30 located as shown in Figs. '1 and 2 have the supporting cross bars shown in Fig. 10. a run of the conveyer, the forms ride over bed An endless belt conveyor 15 passes around pieces 31. the wheels 4 and 7. A mat 16, of rubber or Shaft 6 is driven by an electric motor 32, equivalent material faces the outer side of the speed of rotation of which is greatly the vbelt. At spaced apart intervals in the reduced by reducti n gearing, indicated as length of the belt and on the inner sides a whole at 33 (Fig. 4), so that shaft 6 is I A sprocket wheel 34 is with their flanges 18 extending inwardly. secured on shaft 6 around which a heavy The channel bars 17 are located so as tosprocket chain 35 passes, it also passing m t d enter the re e e 5 and 8 in around a second sprocket wheel 37 secured the wheels 4 and 7. Rods 19 extend between en a shaft 36, said shaft being mounted on consecutive channel bars 17 assing through and between bearings attached to the posts openings 20 of relatively arge size made 30. Other sprockets 38 are secured on shaft through adjacent flanges 18 ofthe channel 36 around which chains 39 pass, the same bars. The rods 19 are threaded at theirv extendlng forward and going around like ends to receive nuts 21, and between the sprockets 4Q secured to a shaft;41 which inner nuts and the adjacent inner side of 18 m nted m suitable bearmgs in posts 41 th flanges 18 Segment h d w her i located one at each side of the machine.

located, as shown in Fig. 14. Byadjusting The chains 39 are provided with alternate the nuts 21 itis evident that a. considerable llhks having pro ectmg dogs 42 to engage portion ofthe strain on the belt may be with the cross channel bars 17, thereby transferred to the rods 19 and by reason serving to help draw the upper run of the of the relatively large openings at 20 in conyeyer belt to the rear. Otherwise the flanges 18;, the belts with attached rods 19 cn lre length of the belt would have to be are permitted to freely pass around the fh w j m he drive Wheels 7. The auxwheels 4' and 7. r. ihary drive chains 39 are supported by bars A consecutive series of block forms are '43 WlllQll insure that the dogs 42 shall ena'ttachedfto the belt 15 above the mat 16 gage with the channel bars 17. The lo thereon, screws'23-passing through the .web F n o he conveyer is likewise helped in of each channel and into the lower edges I s travel and the dogs held in engagement of end pieces 24 of the form. Each form i h h hannels 17 by bars 44.

cgnsists of two and pieces 24 having a The OBIDGIltllZlOIlS mixture is carried to the length but slightly less than the width of forms on the upper run of the conveyer by the block to bem d d idth equal t a feed .belt 45 which-passes around a drum the thickness of the block. A cross member n d- On a shaft 47 carried by and 25 extends between the end pieces 24 at one be ween brackets 48 attached to and extendend thereof 1 and is permanently secured lng upwardly from the post 1. .As the thereto. The opposite ends of the pieces 24 forms filled with such mixture is carried to are free from connection to the belt, mat he rear they pass under the lower run or any cross member, such as 25, and each of an endless belt 49 passing around a front is equipped with a rubber strip 26 of the drum 50 mounted on a shaft 51 carried by same length as the width of the end piece and between the upper ends of posts 28 and 24. When the forms on the conveyer are also around a rear drum 52 on a shaft 53 in horizontal position, as on the upper and mounted in bearings at the upper ends of lower horizontal runs thereof, the rubber posts 30. A sprocket chain 55 passes strips .on one form press snugly against the r und a sprocket wheel 54 on the end of cross member 25 of the next adjacent form, shaft 53 and also around a second wheel each form thus being closed during certain 56 on the end of shaft 36. It is obvious that portions of its travel but opening as it the belt 49 is thus continuously driven from passes around the wheels 4 or 7. shaft 36. Bars 57 extend between the posts The distance between the wheels 4 and 7 28 and 30, being supported intermediate being relatively great and the belt long and their lengths by posts 58, and a plurality of heavy while the weight of the blocks in the rollers or drums 59 on shafts 60 are located forms is considerable, it is necessary to supin spaced apart relation between the bars 57, port the upper and lower runs of the belt, the ends of shafts 60 being mounted in bearparticularly the upper run. Supporting in'gs 61 attached to the under sides of the channels 27 lie under the cross channel bars bars 57. The under run of the belt 49, ac-

7 at each end thereof, being carried on cordingly, is kept firml in contact with the cross bars 29 which extend between various upper sides of the bloc s and it is designed posts located at opposite sides of the mathat the belt 49 shall travel with speed equal -with projecting plugs to enter to the travel of the main form carrying belt 15. The belt 49 may carry) an desired design to imprint into the 100(8, and it is contemplated that the mat 16 shall likewise carry a desired design to reproduce on the under sides of the blocks.

The'machine so far described is adapted to the making of solid blocks, the cementiti o us material setting in the forms during the travel of the same from one end of the machine to the other and automatically droppin from the forms at the rear end of the mac ine when the forms separate and start to pass back under the wheels 7. In any case the blorks delivered drop on to a conveyer belt 62 passing around a drum 63 on a shaft 64 whirh is rotatably mounted on and between short posts 65 back of the rear end of the machine. The rear end of the conveyer belt 62 for the blocks, as well as the front end of the feed belt 45 for the stucco is not shown because of lack of space and further because not particularly novel in any res ect.

The bloc s, as heretofore stated are to be made with longitudinal openings therethrough. To this end, each block form is equipped with cores. In practice adjacent each end piece 24 of each form an angle member is located comprising a horizontal leg 66 having a notch 66 at its outer edge, and a vertical leg 67 which is adapted to be located close to the outer side of the end piece 24 and which extends a distance above its'associated end piece. The cores for each form are of two parts 68 and 6-8, the halves 68 of the completed cores being permanently connected to the legs 67 at one end of the forms, while theother halves 68 are attached to the parts 67 at the opposite ends of the forms. In practice the core parts 68 and 68 are threaded through the legs 67 and locked in place by lock nuts 69 as shown. The parts of the cores pass through openings made in the end pieces 24 and when the forms are ready to receive the cementitious material, the inner ends of the core parts join together, theparts 68 being provided the open inner ends of the parts 68*, as best shown in Fig. 15. It is designed that the cores shall taper downwardly inwardly from the outer ends thereof to the middle where thejoining of the two parts 68 and 68 occurs.

At th front upper portion of the machine, a horizontal" angle bar 71 is positioned at each side of the upper run of the conveyor belt 15 on which inwardly located spring bars 71 are carried, the ends thereof being inclined outwardly to the vertical legs of the bars '71, as shown in Fig. 3. These spring bars press against the outer edges of the parts 66 of the heads on which the core parts 68 and 68 for each block form are attached, thereby forcing the inner ends of the core passing under blocks 88.

parts 68 and 68 very firmly together. This occurs at the time the cementitious material is fed into the forms and the pressure is maintained for a time while the forms are travelling toward the rear end of the machine or until the material has initially set. With plaster stucco, this set takes place very soon after its mixture with water. When the initial set has occurred it is not necessary that the cores shall be so firmly pressed together thereafter. Of course it is necessary to keep the cores from moving outward during the time they with their associated forms are coming around the front 1 wheels 4 and this is aczomplished by'curved guards 72. Likewise on the lower run of the form carrying belt the cores are held from coming out by guard angle bars 73.

Before the blocks can fall from the forms as they pass around the rear wheels 7, the cores must be withdrawn from the blocks. 1 accomplish this automatically by means of the followin structure: At each side of the machine bac of the posts 30 a short distance, a vertical support 74 is situated having a relatively long upper side. A bar 75 connects the supports at their upper ends, this bar passing over and above the block forms. Two diagonally positioned bars 76 extend in opposite directions and to the rear from the middle of bar'75. A disk 77 is mounted to turn about a central vertical axis at the middle of bar 75, the disk at one one end of a lin 79 is pivotally connected. The link extends to one side of the machine and at its outer end is pivotally connected to the upper end of a lever 80 pivotally mounted between its ends at 81 on a. supporting bracket 82. A link 83 connects the lower end of lever 80 with a disk 84 keyed at one end ofa horizontal shaft 85 which parallels the length of the machine and which at its other end carries a bevelled pinion 86 in mesh with a relatively large bevelled gear 87 fixed on shaft 6. It is evident that with each revolution of gear 87, the disk 77 is oscillated back and forth several times about its axis of rotation.

On each of the bars 76 a block 88 is slidably mounted being secured thereon by an under plate 88 attached 'with screws as shown in Fig. 9. A link 89 connects each block 88 with the oscillatory disk 77 so that with the movements of the disk, the blocks are moved back and forth on the bars 76 as guides for the blocks. Journals 90 ject oppositely from each block 88 onwhich members 91 are loosely mounted, extending downwardly to below the lower sides 88 of said; blocks and being widened at ,their lower ends to make end members of a frame which is completed by side bars 92 and 93 Normally the weight of the side of the frame at which bar pro- 92 is situated causes the device as a whole to turn to the position shown in Fig. 7, bar 93 coming against the under side of the block 88 as a stop. On the outward movement of the blocks 88 the bars 92 come against two opposite vertical legs 67 of the heads for the cores 68 and 68 whereupon the heads with their attached. core parts are moved outwardly. It will be noted that the movement of the blocks 88 with attached parts to the rear as well as outwardly is designed to coincide with the rearward movement of the belt 15 and attached forms so that there is no change of position of the bars 92 with respect to the parts 67 during the outward movements of the core members.

()n the return oscillatory movement of the disk 77, bringing blocks 88 back to original position, the lower edges of parts 91 ride over the upper edges of the next succeeding portions 67 of the core members, dropping with bar .92 back thereof so as to be ready to withdraw the cores of the succeeding form from the cement block made therein. Accordingly, as the different cementitious blocks reach a predetermined point in their rearward travel, the cores therein are withdrawn, leaving the blocks ready to drop from the forms on to the conveying belt 62 at the proper time.

As shown in Fig. 5, the horizontal leg 66 of the heads of the cores for each block is held from dropping downwardly at the time of withdrawalby members 98 and 98 the upper surfaces of which are in the same plane with the lower side of parts 66. As the cores are almost entirely disassociated with their respective forms when withdrawn,

it is necessary to rovide some means for carrying the outer ead portions of the cores along with the forms. Accordingly, near the ends of the shaft 6 wheels 94 are fixed, associated with which are other wheels 95 located in front and on a cross shaft 96 carried by bearings 97 on the supports 74 (see Fig. 5). Belts 98 pass around the pairs of wheels 94 and 95 on which at regularly spaced apart intervals lugs 99 are secured, positioned so that the same enter the recesses 66 in the horizontal legs 66 of the core heads, thus making a pos1tive drive connection between the belts 98 and the core heads when the same are drawn outwardly. The belts 98 are guarded against outward movement tending to force the same from the wheels 94 and 95 by angle bars 100 and where the same pass over the curved surfaces of the rear wheels 94 by curved angle bars 101 which prevent outward movement of the core heads under the influence of gravity tending to separate the heads from the lugs when they pass under the machine.

After the blocks have separated from the forms and dropped onto the conveyer 62, it is necessary to move the cores back into the forms for the next series of blocks to be made. This is done automatically substantially as soon as the forms pass under the rear wheels 7 and the same are on their way back to the frontof the machine. Below the floor surface, two channels 102 are laid lengthwise of the machine, one at each side thereof and a cross bar 103 placed above and between them. Two diagonal bars 104: extend outwardly in opposite directions and to the rear from the middle point of bar 103 (see Fig. 11). A disk 105 is mounted to turn on a central vertical axis substantially coincident with the mid point oi the bar 103, said disk havin an outwardly extending arm 106 at one side to which a link bar 107 is pivotally connected at one end, at. its opposite being connected to a disk 108 fixed at the end of a short shaft 109 which at its other end is equipped with a bevelled pinion 110 in mesh with the bevelled gear 87. As with disk 77, the disk 105 is oscillated and at the same rate of speed.

Blocks 111 are slidably mounted, one on each bar 104. and are connected by links 112 with the disk 105, being reciprocated on the bars 104 with the oscillations of the disk. Journals 113 project oppositely from each block 111, on each oi 'w-hich a lever 114 is pivotally mounted between its ends, the lower end of each lever being provided with a weight as indicated at 115, and the upper end formed with a right angular notch at its inner side, as indicated at 116 for reception of the lower edge of the leg 67 of each core head in the operation of returning the same to the forms. The two levers mounted on opposite sides of each block 111 are connected by a cross bar 117 which lies above the block and serves to stop the outward movement of the upper ends of the levers.

This core returning mechanism is very similar to that used in withdrawing the cores, being modified only so as to reverse the direction of movement of the cores. With the oscillation of disk 105 and with the upper ends of the levers 114 back of parts 67 of the heads for two oppositely positioned core parts at opposite ends of a form, the cores are brought together in the form. As with the core withdrawing mechanism, the core returning mechanism travels with the main conveyor belt while any engagement is made between the mechanism and the parts 67. The cores for each form, accordingly, are automatically returned to operative position at a predetermined point in the travel of the main conveyor belt 15 and are ready in place in the forms when the point of supply of the cementitious material is reached.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that I have constructed a machine for the manufacture of blocks from cementitious mate- 1,4ce,e1e

rial, said blocks being formed with longitudinal openings therethrough for saving of material. With this machine, it is posslbleto feed the cementitious material continuously into the forms, the same travelling slowly to the rear, and after the cementitious material has set, the cores are withdrawn, and the blocks made dropped from the machine, the cores being reset shortly thereafter. The blocks are relatively long and wide and comparatively narrow, as shown at 118, in Fig. 17, though the shape of the blocks whichcan be made on the machine may be widely varied. The longitudinal openings 119 therethrough are largest at their ends, tapering downwardly from each end toward the middle. I have shown the machine as adapted to make blocks having three openings therethrou h, three cores being used to each form. bviously for different sizes of blocks having a larger number of openings therethrough, the machine has to be designed to use a larger number of cores for each individual block form.

A machine made as shown and described is capable of large quantity production with the use of few men to handle the same. The labor cost of the blocks is thereby greatly reduced. The length of the machine will depend largely upon the rapidity of the set of the cementitious material, being shorterfor the rapidly setting material and longer for the slower setting material. Many vari'ations in the constructive detail may be resorted to without changing the invention defined in the appended claims, and I con-' sider myself entitled to all such variations and modifications as come within the scope of thenlaims.

IcIaim: 1. In combination, an endless conveyer, means for mounting the same, means for driving the conve er, a consecutive series of individual block orms attached to the outer sides of the conveyer, each of said forms comprising spaced apart sides connected at one end by a cross end member, said sides being attached to the conveyer at their under edges substantially midway between their ends, and means for continuously feeding cementitious material into the forms at the upper side of the conveyer.

2. In combination, two spaced apart shafts, wheels thereon, an endless belt passing around the wheels, a consecutive series of individual block forms attached to the outer side of the belt, each of said forms comprising two end pieces and a cross member connecting the end pieces at one end thereof, rubber strips attached to the free ends of the end pieces and adapted to bear against the cross member of the next adjacent form, and means passing through the belt into the end pieces at points between the ends of said end pieces.

3. In combination, an endless belt conveyer, .a consecutive series of individual.

block forms on the outer side of the belt, each of said forms comprising two end pieces and a cross member connecting the end pieces at one end thereof, rubber strips attached to the free ends of the end pieces and adapted to bear against the cross member of the next adjacent form, andmeans passing through the belt into the under sides of t e and pieces.

4 In combination a consecutive series of mdlvidual block forms, comprising a common base member of flexible material, a consecutive series of individual block forms on the base member, each form comprising two spaced apart end pieces and a cross member connecting the en pieces at one end thereof, elastlc strips attached one to the free end of each end piece and adapted to bear against the cross member of the next adjacent form, and means for connecting the end pieces to the base member.

5. In a machine of the class described, two separated horizontal shafts, wheels thereon, an endless conveyer belt passing around the wheels, .said wheels having spaced apart recesses transversely thereof, channel bars on the inner sides of the belt attached to the belt in spaced apart relation so as to enter the recesses in the wheels, said channel bars having inwardly extending flanges, rods threaded at both ends passing through the ad acent flanges ;'of consecutive channels, and nuts threaded on to the ends of the rods.

6. A construction containing the elements in combination defined in claim 5, combined with means for driving one of the shafts. the other of said shafts being idle, a third shaft located horizontally between the two shafts, means to drive the third shaft from the driven shaft, a fourth shaft located horizontally between the third shaft and the idle shaft, wheels on the third and fourth shafts, and chains passing around said wheels having links formed withoutwardly extending dogs to engage with the channel bars to thereby aid in moving the belt.

7. In a machine of the class described and containing the elements defined in claim 5, means for driving one of the shafts the other being idle, a third shaft located horizontally between the two shafts, means to drive the third shaft from the driven shaft, a fourth shaft located horizontally between the third shaft and the idle shaft, wheels on the third and fourth-shafts, an endless drive element passing around said wheels, and means proecting from said drive element to engage against the channel bars to aid in moving the belt.

8. In a machine of the class described, individual block forms located in consecutive alinement including spaced apart end pieces having openings therethrough, core parts passing through the openings at the opposites of each form and detachably joining together at their inner ends between the end pieces, and means connecting all of the core parts at each end of each form.

9. A block form comprising a base, ends and sides, said ends having a plurality of opehings therethrough, core parts inserted through said openings in each end, the inner ends of the core parts detachably joining together when fully inserted through said openings, and heads to which the core parts for each end of the form are connected.

10. A block form comprising a base, ends and sides, said ends having a plurality of openings therethrough, core parts inserted through said openings in each end, the inner ends of the core parts having interengaging means for, detachably joining the core parts together when brought together by a direct longitudinal movement of the core arts toward each other, and a' head at eac end of the form to which all of the core parts at said end of the form are connected. I

11. In a machine of the class described, an endless belt conveyer, wheels over which the conveyer passes and on which it is horizontally mounted, a consecutive series of individual block forms mounted on the outer sides of the belt, each of said forms having end pieces with openings therein, core parts passing through said opening at each end of each form and detachably interengaging each other to make a continuous core between the ends of the form, means for driving the conveyer, means for automatically withdrawing all of the core parts from a form at a predetermined point in the travel of the belt, and means for reinserting said core parts at a second farther predetermined point in the travel of the belt.

12. A form comprising a base member and ends and sides extending upwardly from said base member, said ends having a plurality of openings therethrough, a core attaching head at each end of the form, tapering core parts attached to the head at one end of the form, one for each opening through the end of the form, said core parts having open inner ends, similar core parts attached to the head at the other end of the form, one for each opening in the end of the form, and reduced end plugs at the inner ends of said last mentioned core parts adapted to enter the open ends of the first core parts.

13. A machine of the class described, comprising an endless horizontally located belt conveyer, means for continuously dri the same, a plurality of individual block forms attached to the outer sides of the conveyer, said forms having end pieces provided with openings therethrough, a plurality of core parts inserted through the openings in said end pieces having their inner ends detachably joined together between the ends of the forms, a head'towhich the core parts for each form at each end thereof are connected, means for engaging with said heads to move the same with the attached core parts outwardly at a predetermined point in the travel of theconveyer, endless belts provided with devices with which heads engage when moved outwardly said belts moving at the same speed as the conveyer, and means for reinserting the core parts into the forms at a further point in the travel of the conveyer. 1

14;. In combination with an endless conveyer mounted horizontally, of a plurality of individual block forms attached to the outer sides of the conveyor, said forms having ends provided with openings therethrough, a plurality of core parts inserted through said openings, said core parts for each form having inner ends adapted to join with each other, a head at each end of each form to which the core parts for each end of a form are secured, a horizontally mounted disk, means to oscillate the same, diagonally located guides, members slidably mounted thereon, connections between the disk and said members for reciprocating the members on oscillation of the disk, means to drive the conveyer, and engaging dogs pivotally mounted on said members and adapted to engage with the heads to move them with their connected core parts outwardly on oscillation of the disk.

15. In a machine of the class described, two spaced apart horizontal shafts, wheels mounted thereon provided with transverse recesses at equally spaced apart distances around the wheels, an endless conveyer belt passing around the wheels, bars attached transversely on the inner sides of the belt at intervals so as to enter the recesses in the wheels, means connecting the adjacent bars together, means for adjusting said connecting means to greater or less lengths, and means for driving one of said shafts.

16. In a machine of the class described, two spaced apart horizontal shafts, wheels mounted thereon provided with transverse recesses at equally spaced apart distances around the wheels, an endless conveyer belt passing around the wheels, channel bars attached transversely on the inner sides of the belt at intervals so as to enter the recesses in said wheels, and means adjustably connecting adjacent flanges of consecutive flanges of the channel bars.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

GEORGE H. A. RUBY. 

